Labor proposes amendment to VSU legislation

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Labor wants to amend the government's voluntary student unionism
legislation to give universities the power to collect fees for
services like childcare and welfare.

The proposed amendment comes as the Nationals prepare to push
for more money for regional universities to help pay for services
they believe will be threatened by the abolition of compulsory
student unionism.

Under laws introduced into parliament in March by Education
Minister Brendan Nelson, university students will no longer have to
join student unions and pay compulsory union fees.

The changes would mean the introduction of user pays to
subsidised services such as childcare, health care, food,
entertainment, sporting clubs, accommodation advice, counselling
and student support services.

Labor's plan calls for fees to be collected from university
students and administered by higher education institutions.

Those fees could only be spent on services for students such as
childcare, welfare and medical services, counselling, sporting
clubs and facilities, student advocacy, subsidised food, accident
insurance, accommodation, emergency loans and transport.